US rejected 31% of MDH exports since Oct 2023 over salmonella: Report
Amid concerns over certain products of Indian spice makers MDH and Everest, a surge has been reported in refusal rates for spice-related shipments exported by Mahashian Di Hatti (MDH) Pvt Ltd to the United States due to salmonella contamination.
Over the last six months, US customs authorities rejected 31% of MDH’s spice shipments, compared to 15% in the previous year, reported The Indian Express.
The surge in refusal rate over salmonella contamination comes at a time when both Singapore and Hong Kong suspended sales of certain items of MDH and Everest Food Products Pvt Ltd over alleged carcinogenic pesticide detection in spice mixes.
A Reuters report suggests that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is gathering information on MDH and Everest products.
“The FDA is aware of the reports and is gathering additional information about the situation,” an FDA spokesperson told Reuters on Friday.
The two most popular spice brands in India are also under the Indian regulator’s scanner for quality standards, following Hong Kong and Singapore’s moves.
The Spices Board, the industry regulator in India, started inspecting the facilities of spice makers MDH and Everest for compliance with quality standards after the reports of cancer-causing pesticides in their certain products surfaced.
The board said on Wednesday it had sought data on MDH and Everest exports from relevant authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore and was working with the companies to find the “root cause” of the issue.
“Thorough inspections at exporter facilities are also underway to ensure adherence with regulatory standards. … The Board is in touch with Indian missions in Singapore and Hong Kong to get more information,” it said in a statement.
Food safety regulator FSSAI has also started taking samples of spices in powder form of all brands in view of quality concerns flagged by Singapore and Hong Kong, reported PTI.
“In view of the current development, FSSAI is taking samples of spices of all brands, including MDH and Everest, from the market to check whether they meet the FSSAI norms,” PTI quoted a person aware of the matter as saying.